Folding bedstead



(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 1.

B. P. PARRAR.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

No 339,283. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

III/I/IIIIII (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. P. PARRAR;

FOLDING BBDSTEAD.

No. 339,283. Patented Apr. 6; 1886. r

llnrrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

BENJAMIN F.FARRAR, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,283, dated April 6, 1886.

Application filed August 6, i885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FARRAR, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Folding Bedsteads; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of folding or wardrobe bedsteads in which a sectional bed-frame is adapted to be folded into and extended or opened out from a head-casing; and my lnvention consists in a novel double or changeable fulcrunrconnection, and limiting stops between the bed frame and the headcasing, adapting the former to be easily handled; in peculiar plates or pieces hinged to the sections of the bed-frame and to each other, and arranged in such a manner as to form the top of the device when folded as a wardrobe, and to form a support or transverse leg for the bed-frame when extended; in pieces on the top plates serving as end guards when the bed is folded and as supports when the bed is extended; in plates covering and protecting the joint of the sections of the bed-frame, and various details of construction, all of which I shall hereinafter fully explain.

The object of my invention is to provide a folding bed adapted to be easily handled, and which shall present a neat appearance both when folded and opened.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my folding bedstead, showing it closed as a wardrobe, a portion of the end of the head being broken away, and the dotted lines showing the operation of the changeable fulcrums. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing my bedstead half open. Fig. 3 shows it completely open. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the operation of the plates H.

A is the head-casing, which is mounted on Serial No. 173,790.

(X0 model.)

head-section o are secured cleats E, and about the middle of the upper portion of the sides of said section are secured the pivot-bolts F.

The head casing A has on the upper rear portion of its end stop-cleats a. On its bottom it has bearing cleats or shoulders a, and on the inner surface of the front of the ends it has vertical cleats a", from which to the cleats a are inclined stop-cleats a. The upper ends of the cleats a have irons G secured to them, said irons having shoulders g as stops. These irons form bearings for the bolts F.

\Vhen the foot-section of the bed is folded over upon the head-section, and both sections lie in a horizontal plane, as in Fig. 2, they are supported by the pivot-bolts F, resting on the bearing-plates G, and by reason of the approximately central location of said bolts the bed-frame is nicely balanced, so that it can be tipped to a vertical position with but small exertion. In assuming this position the bedframe turns on the bolts as the center of pivotal action until the cleats E on the headsection come in contact with the bearing cleats a on the bottom of the ends of the headcasing,when the bed-frame is lifted and turned on its cleats E as a fulcrum, taking it off its pivot-bolts F, which move back from their bearings as the bedframe moves toward a vertical position. The cleats 1*), then coming in contact with the stops a, the bcd-frame still turning in its said cleats, moves backward at the same time until limited by coming in contact with the headboard B. It is then in a vertical position, and rests on the shoulders a, which support it. ll are two plates or pieces which,whcn the bedis folded, as shown in Fig. 1, form the top of the wardrobe. These pieces are hinged to the edges of both sections at their adjoining edges by the hinges 7L.

\Vhen the bed-frame is extended, so thatits two sections are in line, the pieces H, moving on their hinges, drop down to avertical position,in which they lie in parallel plaues,forming, as shown in Fig. 3, a support or trans verse leg under the line of the meeting edges of the two sections of the bed-frame.

On the ends of the plate or piece lI,which, when the bed is folded, lies nearest the headboard, are pieces J, which serve as end pieces or guards for the top of the wardrobe when the bed is folded, but when the bed is extended they serve as supports or bearings for the upper end of the sides of the foot-section of the bed. Pieces J are secured to the ends of the other plate II, which serve as continuations to preserve appearances.

Legs K are provided for the lower end of the foot-section of the bed. Theselegs are slotted on pins in said section, and are adapted by their own gravity when the section is extended to fall to a vertical position, and when said section is being folded to fall back again in the grooves provided for them. Across the line of the meeting edges of the sides of the two sections composing the bed -frame are guard-plates L, which cross said line, and are for the purpose of guarding the joint of the two sections and preventing the bed-clothes from getting in said joint, and interfering with the movement of the bed. These plates are secured in position by means of pins Z, which pass into the sides of the bed-sections through elongated slots Z in the plates. Being thus secured to the sections,the plates do not interfere with the folding movement of the bed-frame, while they still guard the joint in whatever position the frame may be placed.

011 the sides of the headsection of the bed frame are books M, which engage with staples m on the end of the foot-section,whereby said sections may be firmly bound together in case the quantity of bedding in the sections is great enough to prevent them from closing easily. On the sides of the foot-sections are hooks N, which engage with staples n on the head-board, and hold the bed-sections to their place when folded as a wardrobe.

0 are hinged gravity legs on the bottom of the head-section. These are simply for extra safety, though I do not deem them essential.

The operation of my bed is as follows: Suppose it to be in the position shown in Fig. 1- that is to say, in a folded position, and having the appearance of a wardrobe. In order to use it as a bed, the hooks N are first released from the staples a, and the operator, grasping the front or the sides of the bed-frame, pulls it out toward him. This movement of the bed-frame is accomplished on its cleats E, fulcruming on the bearing-shoulders a at the base of the head-casing. As the movement continues the pivot-bolts F move forward to and on the bearing-plates G, and as the bed moves beyond the vertical and toward the horizontal the center of pivotal action is removed from the cleats E to the bolts F, 011 which the bed turns to a horizontal plane The cleats E, bearing up under the cleats a of the head-casing, hold the bed from moving farther on its pivots, and the shoulders g of the bearing-plates G keep it from moving longitudinally. Thefoot-sectionis now graspedby its inner end and turned through a half-circle to a horizontal, in order to bring it in line with the head-section in an extended plane. This movement of the foot-section causes the hinged plates H to drop down to the floor as the leg or support, while the legs K at the bottom of the foot-section drop out to support the lower end of the bed. In order to fold the bed again, the foot-section is raised and folded on the headsection, which movement causes the bottom legs, K, to drop into their sockets, and the plates H to rise to an alignment in a vertical plane. The bed-frame is now lifted, turning on its pivot-bolts F until the cleats E come in contact with and bear on the shoulders a,when it continues its movement, fulcruming on said cleats, the center of pivotal action being removed from the pivot-bolts, until, limited by stops a it moves to its position against the head-board.

The whole device is so adjusted that it is easily handled and moved from one position to another.

I am aware it is not broadly new to secure plates upon the sides of bed-frames and crossing the line of joint, and such construction I do not claim, broadly, as my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding bedstead, a head-casing, A, having bearing cleats or shoulders a, and a bed-frame, 0, consisting of sections hinged together and folding the one upon the other, said bed-frame being adapted to be folded into and extended from the head-casing, in combination with vertical cleats forming a fulcrum or pivot-connection between the bed-frame and ends of the head-casing, on which the bedframe turns through a portion of its movement, the cleats a serving as a bearing between the bed-frame and head-casing, on which it turns through the remainder of its action, substantially as herein described.

2. In a folding bedstead, a head-casing having bearing-cleats a, and a bed-frame adapted to fold therein and to be extended therefrom, in combination with vertical cleats forming a fulcrum or pivot-connection between the bedframe and upper forward portion of the ends of the head casing, on which the bed-frame turns through a portion of its movement, the cleats or shoulders a forming a fulcrum between the bed-frame and lower portion of the base of the ends, through which it turns and moves through the remainder of its action, substantially as herein described.

3. In afolding bedstead, the head-casing A, having bearing cleats or shoulders a on the lower inner edges of its sides or ends, and bearing plates or irons G on the upper forward edges of said ends, in combination with the sectional bed-frame O, the bolts F on the head-section of the bed-frame, and adapted to bear and pivot on the bearing-plates G through a portion of the movement of said frame, and the cleats E on said section adapted to pivot and move on the shoulders a through the remainder of its action, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

4. In a folding bedstead, the head-casing A, having bearing cleats or shoulders a on the IIO lower inner edges of its sides or ends, bearing cleats or irons G on the upper forward edges,

and limiting-stops a on the upper rear edges of said ends, in combination with the sectional 5 bed-frame C, the bolts F thereon, adapted to bear and pivot on the plates G during a portion of the movement of the bed-frame,and the cleats ll, adapted to pivot and move on the shoulders a through the remainder of its action and when the bed-frame is extended to bear under the stops a, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. In a folding bedstead, the head-casing A, having cleats or shoulders to and stops a at I 5 its bottom and bearing-plates G at its top, in

combination, with the bed-frame 0, consisting of the hinged foot and head sections 0 0, bolts 1 on the head-section, pivoting on irons G through a portion of the movement of the bedl'ra1ne,and the cleats Ein said section, adapted to pivot on the shoulders a through the remainder of its action and to be limited by the stops a", whereby it is moved to position, substantially as herein described.

25 6. In a folding bedstead, the head-casing A,

having bearing cleats or shoulders a, and stops (6 at its bottom bearing plates orirons G, with shoulders g, and the limiting-stops a at its top, as described, in combination with the sectional bedirame O, the bolts F thereon pivoting on plates G- and limited by their shoulders during a portion of the movement of the bed-frame, and the cleats E, adapted to pivot on the shoulders a and bear against the stops a through the remainder of its action and when the bed-frame is extended to bear unoperate substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

7. In a folding bedstead, the sectional and folding bed-frame G, in combination with the plates L, crossing the line of the joint of the sections of the bed-frame, said plates having slots in each end, and the fixed pins which secure the plates, substantially as herein described.

8. In a folding bedstead, the adjustable bedframe 0, consisting of sections hinged together and adapted to fold the one on the other, in combination with the plates or pieces H, hinged to the edges of the sections and to each other, said plates forming a top when the sections are in a vertical position, and acting as a support or transverse leg for the bed-frame when extended, substantially as herein described.

9. In a folding bedstead, the adjustable bedframe 0, consisting of sections hinged together, and adapted to fold the one on the other, in combination with the plates or pieces H, hinged to said sections and to each other and adapted to serve and operate as described,and the pieces J on the ends of one of the plates which serve as guards for the top, and as supports for the extended bed, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJAMIN F. FARRAR.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. H. BLooD. 

